Bus

Calif.’s SunLine begins $10.7M transit hub project

Thousand Palms, Calif.-based SunLine Transit Agency’s board of directors approved award of a contract to Doug Wall Construction of Bermuda Dunes, Calif., for construction of its 25,000 square foot new administration building and transit hub.

This project is expected to bring much-needed jobs to the Coachella Valley. The bid required that the winning bidder perform at least 10% of the work. That percentage amounts to a little over $1 million for the firm. The Coachella Valley is also expected to see $5.7 million of subcontracted work from listed firms throughout the Valley.

C. Mikel Oglesby, GM, initiated the project shortly after accepting his position at SunLine Transit Agency. SunLine was able to piece together the funding for this project from a combination of federal monies from the Federal Transit Administration and California’s Proposition 1B funds.

The campaign is similar to the one developed for subways, with the focus on reminding passengers that avoiding certain behaviors can ensure a faster and more pleasant ride for everyone. Reminders include step aside to let others off first; remove your backpack; and don’t clip your nails on the bus.

While Founder Matt George is interested in connecting Capitol Hill, K Street and Dupont Circle, it’s not yet clear if those will be the neighborhoods Bridj starts with. The start-up is encouraging interested customers to request specific routes on its website

Des Moines Area Regional Transit's 60-foot low floor articulated buses will replace high-floor buses and include newly installed ramps, remanufactured power trains, transmissions, engines and brakes. It will also be equipped with two ADA compliant wheelchair lifts.